March 3 2026 • Issue #73
Celebrating the incredible achievements, inspiring moments
and everyday successes that make our district a wonderful
place for students, families and staff.
| | Black History Month: Honouring tomorrow's TVDSB visionaries | |
This year, Thames Valley District School Board is honouring the Government of Canada’s theme for Black History Month, “30 Years of Black History Month: Honouring Black Brilliance Across Generations — From Nation Builders to Tomorrow’s Visionaries,” by highlighting historical Black Canadian nation builders, local Black visionaries, as well as the visionaries of tomorrow: Black Students Associations (BSAs) from across Thames Valley.
Watch this short video to learn how the incredible BSA at Sir Wilfrid Laurier Secondary School inspired Glen Cairn Public School students to start their own BSA this year!
Learn more
| | TVDSB sprinkles kindness on Pink Shirt Day | |
Pink Shirt Day is an annual day to stand against bullying and promote kindness and inclusivity. It originated in 2007 when two Nova Scotia high school students bought pink shirts to give to their classmates after a fellow student was bullied for wearing pink.
On Pink Shirt Day, we wear pink to show our commitment to stopping bullying in our schools and community. The theme for 2026 is "Sprinkle Kindness."
Please enjoy these photos from White Pine Public School and Westmount Public School.
| A warm cup of community: Coffee cart at Parkside Collegiate Institute | |
The Developmental Education class at Parkside CI runs a coffee cart where they collect orders from staff and deliver coffee, tea, and homemade treats every Thursday morning.️ The teachers work with students on collecting orders, baking, and friendly delivery.
They have partnered with Las Chicas Del Café, a local coffee-roasting business in St. Thomas, which has generously donated coffee for the cart. This partnership has also given students the opportunity to practice their professional communication skills, and to learn about coffee farming and roasting.
Through the Coffee Cart program, students have been working on a variety of skill-building goals, including:
- Trying new things and stepping outside their comfort zone (a student-generated class goal)
- Meeting new people and practicing social interaction and customer service skills
- Working with money, including making change and tracking profits
- Developing kitchen and baking skills
This is a wonderful learning opportunity that helps students build skills & spreads joy around the school! Check out this short video to learn more.
| Éva Circé-Côté students participate in Museum School London | |
Grade 4/5 students from Éva Circé-Côté had an amazing week as part of the London Museum School Program through the London Heritage Council!
Earlier this year, they took daily trips to the London Children’s Museum, where they enjoyed the exhibits, learned about sound and light waves, used Micro:bits and decibel readers to conduct a sound assessment of the museum, and learned how different materials absorb sound. They then designed and built their own acoustic panels, which will be permanently displayed in the museum’s Discovery Lab!
Students journaled and reflected on their learning during the week and loved the experience and time to play.
| | Good morning! Multi-lingual announcements at Stoneybrook Public School | |
To celebrate the diverse backgrounds of the school community, Stoneybrook PS’s Multi-Language Learning teacher, Mr. Rochford, established a routine of students reading the school’s morning greeting over the announcements in their first language! The school has been able to feature a variety of languages from the building, with students giving greetings for an entire week on the school’s daily announcements.
Check out the video above to see the amazing impact this has had on the school community.
| |
Jeanne Sauvé students take action
on local issues
| In a series of lessons about government, grade 5/6 classes at Jeanne Sauvé French Immersion Public School explored real-world issues that impact their daily lives, identifying concerns such as litter in parks, homelessness, Islamophobia and other challenges within their communities. Students then wrote about these issues to their local elected officials, including Ward 13 Councillor, David Ferreira. Students were thrilled to receive replies from Councillor Ferreira, inspiring them to keep using their voices to help others. | Resolving recess roadblocks with Arthur Ford's Peacekeepers | Arthur Ford’s grade 7 and 8 Firebird Council has started a peacekeeper program! Peacekeepers are trained in restorative practices to work students through small yard issues and wear recognizable purple vests. This innovative program creates a calmer yard while promoting leadership skills among the intermediate students. The reception from staff, students, and the community has been very positive and students love the opportunity to wear the vests and learn skills that they can then apply to their own lives! Check out this video to learn more. | IDCI celebrates alumnus Jeremy Hansen’s upcoming mission around the moon | | |
TVDSB and Ingersoll District Collegiate Institute (IDCI) are proud to celebrate former student Jeremy Hansen, who will soon make history on NASA’s Artemis II mission around the moon.
Hansen’s success has inspired excitement and new learning across the IDCI school community. IDCI’s Artemis Explorers Club includes 15 students whose goal is to celebrate Hansen and help others learn about the Artemis mission.
The students were recently featured in three news stories:
| | Cheering on Team Canada at the Olympics | Schools across Thames Valley cheered on Team Canada from afar during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games! Schools celebrated with watch parties, Olympic sport-themed activities, Team Canada themed photo booths, “Wear Your Canada Gear” Toonie Tuesday fundraisers for the Caring Fund, and medal counts! Please enjoy photos submitted by participating schools, and this feature from CBC highlighting IDCI's watch party for the Women's Hockey final. Hockey player Ella Shelton won silver and these hometown fans couldn't be more proud | CBC Sports | Lord Dorchester student set to compete at Special Olympics Canada Summer Games | |
Thames Valley District School Board is thrilled to highlight Lord Dorchester Secondary School student athlete Andrew (AJ) Manning’s national debut at the Special Olympics Canada Summer Games this August in Calgary.
At the Special Olympics Ontario provincial qualifiers held this past July in Brantford, AJ captured three gold medals, dominating the 100m sprint, long jump, and mini javelin. He also earned a strong fifth place finish in shot put, rounding out an impressive multi-event performance.
Following his standout summer, AJ was officially invited to join Team Ontario.
Read more about his story.
| |
Turtle Island Public School celebrates
its first day
| |
Familiar faces greeted each other as Turtle Island Public School celebrated its first day on Tuesday, February 17! The school consolidated enrolment for students at elementary schools located in Woodstock, Innerkip, Drumbo and Zorra. News stories about the first day were published by CTV London and on the front page of the London Free Press.
Kristen Carne, Principal of Zorra Highland Park Public School shared this message and the above photographs:
“This school year brought a truly unique and memorable experience as our two communities came together while Turtle Island School was being built. What began as a temporary arrangement quickly grew into a strong, collaborative partnership that shaped our combined school in remarkable ways. Together, we shared challenges, celebrations, and countless moments that strengthened our sense of community. As our Turtle Island colleagues prepared to begin their next chapter at their beautiful new school, we spent our final week honouring everything we had built together. Teachers opened their classrooms, welcomed peers whose spaces were already packed up, and created shared activities that highlighted the generosity and teamwork that defined our year. Our spirited assembly celebrated our collective journey, filled with gratitude and pride. On Friday, in a moment that truly captured the heart of our shared experience, staff lined the front sidewalk to wave goodbye to Turtle Island students—an emotional farewell marking the end of a special chapter and the beginning of new adventures for us all.”
| |
TVDSB Skills competition
showcases student talent
| |
TVDSB welcomed over a hundred participating secondary students and elementary observers to its annual Skills Competition on February 18. The event was hosted primarily at Fanshawe College’s London Campus, with three additional contest sites at Fanshawe campuses in Woodstock and downtown London.
The TVDSB Skills Competition is a dynamic celebration of skilled trades education — a Track and Field-style event where each contest represents a unique skilled trade or technology. Students from across the district competed in 15 hands-on contests, including welding, 2D animation, precision machining, hairstyling, baking, carpentry, and more.
Check out these two short videos, highlighting the 2D animation and baking competitions!
| TVDSB and N’Amerind (London) Friendship Centre renew partnership to support Indigenous student success through Wiingashk Alternative Secondary School Program | |
TVDSB and the N’Amerind (London) Friendship Centre (NFC) have renewed their partnership to support Indigenous learners by signing a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the Wiingashk Alternative Secondary School Program.
The MOU was signed by TVDSB Director of Education Bill Tucker and NFC Executive Director Joel Kennedy.
Wiingashk Alternative Secondary School is a TVDSB program located inside the N’Amerind Friendship Centre. It offers Indigenous students a learning environment grounded in cultural teachings, Indigenous knowledge, and holistic supports. The program focuses on identity building, student well-being, academic success, and strong community connections.
Those interested in registering can visit the N’Amerind (London) Friendship Centre at 260 Colborne Street, London, or call 519-452-2567.
| Awards and Scholarships online application is open! | |
The Thames Valley Education Foundation (TVEF) manages over 620 awards and scholarships, dedicated to helping many students pursue their post-secondary goals. These awards celebrate academic excellence, champion student achievement, and inspire the dreams of students as they pursue their educational and workplace goals.
Last year, over $863,000 was awarded to students. TVEF has launched an online application tool for awards and scholarships, making it easier than ever for students to apply.
The online application tool has been shared with Award Contacts at Thames Valley Schools to help increase awareness within school communities and to support students as they plan their post‑secondary journey.
Students are invited to apply from March 1 - 31.
Visit tvdsb.ca/TVEF for more information or contact your school’s guidance office.
| The Apprenticeship Pathway at TVDSB: Parent Information Evening with Dr. Jon Callegher | | |
Parents and caregivers are invited to attend The Apprenticeship Pathway at TVDSB: Parent Information Evening with Dr. Jon Callegher on Tuesday, March 10, from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. at Saunders Secondary School.
Author, researcher and skilled trades sector expert Dr. Callegher will share insights into apprenticeship pathways and answer your questions about career opportunities in the skilled trades.
TVDSB’s Pathways team will be available after the session to connect with families about opportunities for your child. Light refreshments prepared by the Saunders Secondary School Hospitality program will be available.
Register Now
| | Call for Submissions: Share Your Good News! | | |
Thames Valley Highlights is looking for stories to feature in upcoming editions! We want to celebrate the incredible achievements, inspiring moments and everyday successes that make our district a wonderful place for students, families and staff.
Do you have a story to share about:
- A student’s academic achievement or personal growth
- A teacher or staff member going above and beyond
- Community partnerships making a difference
- Exciting events, projects, or initiatives at your school
- Acts of kindness, inclusion, and collaboration within the school community
If you have a story that deserves to be highlighted, we’d love to hear from you!
How to Submit:
Let’s celebrate all the amazing things happening in our schools! We look forward to hearing from you and sharing your stories with the wider Thames Valley community.
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